UNIVERSITY OF MAINE AT FARMINGTON COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, HEALTH AND REHABILITATION
LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Teacher’s Name: Miss Pulito Lesson #: 2 Facet: Perspective Grade Level: 11-12 Numbers of Days: 5-7 Topic:Walden
PART I:
Objectives
Students will understand that Thoreau had distinct purpose(s) for writing Walden.
Students will know the definition of transcendentalism and its main beliefs, a brief biography of Thoreau, what an epigraph is, the significance of experiment/experience, "journaling," Thoreau's lists, "how-to manual" style, voice, persona, and the meaning of self-reliance within the text.
Student will be able to analyze Thoreau's purpose for writing Walden.
Product: Podcast.
Maine Learning Results (MLR) or Common Core State Standards (CCSS) or Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Alignment
Common Core State Standards Content Area: English Grade Level: 11-12, Walden by Henry David Thoreau Domain: Reading Standards for Informational Text 6-12 Cluster: Craft & Structure Standard: 6: Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.
Rationale: In Lesson 2, students will attempt to understand Thoreau's perspective on life, analyzing how his writing reflects this perspective. In a podcast, they will critique the decisions he makes, discussing how they serve his purpose.
Assessments
Formative (Assessment for Learning)
Section I – checking for understanding strategy during instruction: The teacher will circulate the room, observing and asking questions. The teacher will also set up mini-conferences with each group as they work on creating their podcasts.
Section II – timely feedback for products (self, peer, teacher): The teacher will provide written feedback on each of the podcasts, and the students will provide their group members with feedback on their contribution to the project.
Summative (Assessment of Learning):
Podcast (60pts): In pairs or small groups, students will create a podcast that documents and analyzes Thoreau's experience on Walden Pond. Students may critique Thoreau's ideas and experiences in order to show their understanding of the text and Thoreau's purpose behind his writing of the book. Students are encouraged to being their personal opinions into the podcast as long as they back them up with evidence.
Integration
Technology (SAMR): Students will work in groups of 2-3 to create a podcast using either Garageband or Audacity on their laptops (Modification).
Content Areas: History: Students will get the historical background of Concord, MA and Walden Woods while on their field trip.
Groupings
Section I - Graphic Organizer & Cooperative Learning used during instruction: Students will fill in a sequence chart to help them plan for the topics they will discuss in the podcast. During instruction, student will participate in pair discussions, group discussions, and class discussions on their assigned reading.
Section II – Groups and Roles for Product: Students will use the team project format to create their podcasts, breaking down into groups of 2-3.
Differentiated Instruction
MI Strategies
Verbal: Students will continue reading Walden, focusing on chapter 2 ("Where I Lived and What I Lived For") for this lesson. Students will also create a podcast that analyzes Thoreau's experience on Walden Pond so far in the text.
Logic: In their podcast, students may include a section about the "logic" behind Thoreau's life in the woods. They may include references to the amount of money he saves during his time there.
Visual: Students will look up pictures of Walden Pond where Thoreau lived to help gain understanding of his experience. They will also use a graphic organizer to help them plan for their podcast.
Musical: Students will be given the option to include a song in their podcast.
Kinesthestic: Students will walk around Walden Woods during their field trip.
Intrapersonal: Students will continue to work on their blogs in which they document their personal reflections on the text.
Interpersonal: Students will work in pairs or small groups to create a podcast that analyzes Thoreau's experience on Walden Pond so far in the text.
Naturalist: Students will be exposed to Thoreau's observations of and discussions about nature within the context of Walden.
Modifications/Accommodations From IEP’s (Individual Education Plan), 504’s, ELLIDEP (English Language Learning Instructional Delivery Education Plan) I will review student’s IEP, 504 or ELLIDEP and make appropriate modifications and accommodations.
Plan for accommodating absent students: It is the student's responsibility to contact the teacher regarding their absence. If the absence is anticipated, the student should plan accordingly and meet with teacher ahead of time to go over what needs to be completed before they return to school. If the absence is unexpected, the student should (1) email the teacher and (2) meet with the teacher in person as soon as he or she is back in school. The teacher is willing to work with students to make sure that they stay up to date with assignments and will provide extensions as deemed fair and necessary. Students are responsible for getting notes from classmates and for checking the class Wiki upon being absent. The teacher understands that absences (preferable excused) are expected from time to time, but if unexcused absences become continuous and habitual the student will be expected to have a one-on-one meeting with the teacher.
Extensions
Technology (SAMR): Students will create a podcast using Garageband or Audacity (Modification).
Gifted Students: Gifted students will be encouraged to add multiple sound effects to their podcasts (including background music).
Materials, Resources and Technology
Copies of Walden
Graphic organizers and notes from Lesson 1 (for reference)
Teaching and Learning Sequence (Describe the teaching and learning process using all of the information from part I of the lesson plan)
Describe your classroom arrangement. The tables will be arranged in a horseshoe formation so that the students can see each other during discussion. Everyone will be able to see the board and projector. There will be designated quiet spaces for students to work individually when they need to or want to. The teacher's desk will be in a private corner, out of the way.
Agenda (include days and times) *Each class period is 80 minutes long
DAY 1:
Field trip to Walden Woods
Assignment: read the first 1/4 of "Where I Lived and What I Lived For" and write a blog response to either the text or about the field trip.
DAY 2:
Discussion on the previous night's assigned reading from Walden in pairs, groups, and as a class (40 mins).
Introduction to podcasting: samples and discussion (25 mins).
Introduce podcast assignment (15 mins).
Assignment: read the second 1/4 of "Where I Lived and What I Lived For" and write a blog response.
DAY 3:
Discussion on the previous night’s assigned reading from Walden in pairs, groups, and as a class (40 mins).
Divide students into podcasting groups and have them start planning/filling out their sequence charts (40 mins).
Assignment: read the third 1/4 of “Where I Lived and What I Lived For” and write a blog response.
DAY 4:
Discussion on the previous night’s assigned reading from Walden in pairs, groups, and as a class (30 mins).
Give students a brief tutorial of Garageband and Audacity and have them help each other learn the features and decide which program to use within their groups (20 mins).
Have students continue to work on their podcasts in their groups (30 mins).
Assignment: read the final 1/4 of “Where I Lived and What I Lived For” and write a blog response.
DAY 5:
Discussion on the previous night’s assigned reading from Walden in pairs, groups, and as a class (20 mins).
Continue working on podcasts in groups (60 mins). Students should be at the recording stage.
Assignment: Finish up podcasts and share with classmates so groups can listen to at least 2 others
Teaching and Learning Sequence (Include all hyperlinks of the above URL's in this section.)
Students will understand that Thoreau had distinct purposes for writing Walden. Walden is an important and inspiring text because it encourages higher-level, independent thinking through its rich rhetoric. Students will determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text. Students will take a field trip to Walden Woods in which they tour the landscape where Thoreau lived while he wrote Walden. They will also be exposed to a biography of Thoreau’s life and have the opportunity to put themselves in Thoreau’s “place,” gaining perspective. Students will be asked to reflect on their trip to Walden Woods in their nightly blog post. Where, Why , What, Hook Tailors: Naturalist, Kinesthetic, Verbal/Linguistic, Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Visual
Students will know the definition of transcendentalism and its main beliefs, a brief biography of Thoreau, what an epigraph is, the significance of experiment/experience, "journaling," Thoreau's lists, "how-to manual" style, voice, persona, and the meaning of self-reliance within the text. Every day throughout the lesson, students will have discussions about their assigned reading from the previous night. They will spend a few minutes discussing the reading in pairs, then in groups, and then as a whole class (this could variate from day to day depending on the time available and on the amount of content to be discussed, sometimes only working as pairs or groups before having whole class discussions). This designated discussion time at the beginning of class will ensure that students have the opportunity to explore and collaborate about the things that struck them as interesting and/or significant within the assigned reading and to give the teacher a chance to highlight concepts that they should pay special attention to. During discussions, the teacher will observe the students and use oral questioning to make sure that they are keeping up with and comprehending the reading. On day two of the lesson, students will begin to spend the second portion of their class periods working in their podcasting groups, using the team project format. Each group will fill out a sequence chart to help them plan out the format and major things they want to discuss within their podcast (which should include a discussion of their thoughts on Thoreau’s purpose for writing the book as well as his purpose for his “experiment” on Walden Pond). The teacher will observe the groups as they work and make herself available to answer any questions as well as provide suggestions during the process. Once the podcasts are complete, the teacher will provide each group with written feedback on their final product. Each group will also be required to listen to at least 2 other podcasts and provide written peer feedback. Equip, Explore, Rethink, Tailors: Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Naturalist, Kinesthetic, Verbal/Linguistic, Naturalist, Musical
Students will be able to analyze Thoreau’s purpose for spending two years on Walden Pond and for documenting his experience in Walden. Students will begin each class period engaging in discussions about the text in which they will be provided with the opportunity to share their interpretations and ideas, analyzing Thoreau’s purpose through exploration and collaboration. The field trip to Walden Woods will also provide them with direct insight and perspective to Thoreau’s life and experience. Once the students have been divided into groups of 2-3, the teacher will show tutorials of both Garageband and Audacity on the projector, then let them chose which program to use. Students who have prior experience with either of these programs will be asked to help students who are new to them. The teacher will also share YouTube tutorials with students for them to access later if they need extra support, and for students who were absent. Students will be allowed to choose their group members in hopes that this freedom with ensure they pair themselves with people that they feel comfortable working with and engaging in discussion. (Discussion groups, however, will be chosen by the teacher so that students are hearing different perspectives on a regular basis.) Students will be given at least 40 minutes of class time each day to meet with their podcast group for planning, organizing, and recording/editing. Once all podcasts have been created and submitted, each group will be responsible for listening to two podcasts from other groups and filling in a response sheet in which they provide feedback. Each group member will also be responsible for filling in a group review sheet in which they evaluate their own contribution to the podcast as well as their group members’ contributions. The teacher will provide each group with written feedback on their podcast. Students will be given the opportunity to revise their podcasts after receiving feedback from their peers and teacher. Experience, Revise, Refine, Tailors: Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Verbal/Linguistic, Musical, Naturalist
The teacher will email each group written feedback on their podcasts right after listening to them. The teacher will score the podcasts based on the rubric provided at the start of the lesson, paying special attention to insight/thoughtfulness, content (analysis of Thoreau’s purpose), incorporation and citation of textual evidence/support, and effects (e.g. inclusion of music and/or other sound effects). The teacher will also take peer feedback into account before assigning a final grade. This assignment builds off the class discussions that students have been having throughout the unit as well as to their regular blog posts. The podcast will provide students with the opportunity to draw conclusions regarding Thoreau’s purpose for going to Walden Pond and for writing about his experience there. The podcast will highlight the observations that they feel are most important up to this point in the unit, acting as an opportunity for groups to collaborate and to pull all of their most valuable insights together, thus preparing them to read the subsequent chapters of the book. Evaluate, Tailors: Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Verbal/Linguistic
Teacher Content Notes
Students will know the definition of transcendentalism and its main beliefs, a brief biography of Thoreau, what an epigraph is, the significance of experiment/experience, "journaling," Thoreau's lists, "how-to manual" style, voice, persona, and the meaning of self-reliance within the text. Because this is the second lesson that students have had to explore these topics, they should be competent as well-versed in all of these areas by the conclusion of Lesson 2.
Sub Notes: In order to teach this lesson, you will need a general understanding of who Thoreau was and what Transcendentalism was. Here is a link that provides a brief biography of Henry David Thoreau:http://www.biography.com/people/henry-david-thoreau-9506784. Here is a link that describes the basics of transcendentalism: http://www.ushistory.org/us/26f.asp. If you have never read Walden yourself, here is a SparkNotes version of the book that includes chapter summaries, analyses, and common themes/motifs. Reading through the SparkNotes version will help you to guide discussions and to help you understand where the students are headed: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/walden/.
During this lesson, students will be reading the second chapter of Walden, titled“Where I Lived and What I Lived For.” This chapter is important because it contains what many believe to be Thoreau’s thesis of the entire book. This thesis passage is especially important to focus on in class discussions because it will guide students towards a deeper understanding of his purpose for going to the woods and for writing the book: I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of live, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish it to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.
Students may want to dissect this passage in their podcasts to help them analyze Thoreau’s purpose. (In the next lesson, they will break down the rhetoric of the passage but for now they are just focusing on its content.)
Each class will begin with one or more discussions about the assigned reading from the previous night. Before holding a class discussion, students should first meet either in pairs or small groups for 5-10 minutes to “warm up” and share their insights to the text. This way students will have a chance to organize their thoughts before the class-wide discussion in more comfortable setting (thus making the class-wide discussion more effective). Discussions on the text should be mostly student-led with the teacher listening attentively (checking for their understanding) and occasionally guiding/facilitating (when students get off topic or if the discussion is withering) to ensure that all important points are covered. Below is a list of questions to help facilitate discussion in relation to Chapter 2 of Walden.
What is the difference between the poet and the farmer as described by Thoreau in the beginning of the chapter?
What seems to be Thoreau’s opinion of money in Chapter 2?
How does the book’s epigraph relate to Chapter 2?
What does Thoreau mean by being “awake?”
Where do we see Thoreau being an observer of nature/his surroundings?
What significance does Thoreau’s description of the morning have within the chapter?
What is Thoreau’s opinion of the post office and the newspaper? Why do you think he feels this way?
What do you make of the final sentence of the chapter? What is its significance?
Where do we see evidence/examples of self-reliance in the chapter? Do you think Thoreau demonstrates self-reliance? Why or why not?
What are your impressions of Thoreau’s language throughout the chapter? How do they relate to content? (This question will lead into future lessons in which students focus on rhetoric.)
When creating discussion groups, make sure they are randomized so that students are exposed to different ideas each day. Here is a link that provides ideas for randomizing student groups: http://www.teachhub.com/30-ways-arrange-students-group-work.
For the podcasting assignment, students will be able to choose their partners (no more than 3 students may work together, and if a student prefers to work alone, that is fine). They will need a tutorial on how to use Garageband and Audacity and then can choose one of the programs to create their podcast with. Here are links to tutorials for each program:
Maine Common Core Teaching Standards for Initial Teacher Certification and Rationale
Standard 1 – Learner Development. The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.
Learning Styles
Clipboard: Students will be provided with a syllabus that outlines course/unit expectations and assignments. Students will be provided with clear directions and dates regarding assignments. They will also use sequence chart to help them organize and plan for their podcasts.
Microscope: Students will pay close attention to both the content and language of Walden, analyzing how both elements contribute to the overall meaning of the text. They will be asked to do “close readings” in which they examine very small portions of the text, sometimes only focusing on single words or sentences at a time, then discussing how those smaller elements contribute to the “big picture” or major themes of the text.
Puppy: Students will work in pairs or in small groups before being asked to participate in class-wide discussions. This will give them the opportunity to share their thoughts in a “less intimidating” situation before opening up to the entire class. Students will also work in small groups when making their podcasts, and the teacher will circulate the room while students are working to answer questions and provide feedback as well as positive reinforcement. The teacher will “check in” with students regularly throughout the unit, both through email and in person, recognizing that some students may need extra support.
Beach Ball: Students will have opportunities to focus on whichever passages/portions of the text they feel are most interesting and significant. Walden is a complex piece of literature that appeals to many on the individual level, honoring independent thinking and autonomy.
Rationale: Not all students learn in the same way, and that’s part of what makes a classroom such a creative, inspiring place! No student should feel forced to learn in a way that is not conducive to their needs or personality, which is why this unit is designed in a way that leaves room for all learning styles to be practiced.
Standard 6 -Assessment. The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their on growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher's and learner's decision making.
Formative: Daily in-class discussions will act as formative assessments for this lesson, as well as the continuation of the students’ blog posts.
Summative: Students will create a podcast using Garageband or Audacity in which they discuss and analyze Thoreau’s purpose in going to Walden Pond and writing Walden.
Rationale: The podcast assignment builds off the class discussions that students have been having throughout the unit as well as to their blog posts. Creating a podcast will provide students with the opportunity to draw conclusions regarding Thoreau’s purpose for going to Walden Pond and for writing about his experience there. The podcast will highlight the observations that they feel are most important up to this point in the unit, acting as an opportunity for groups to collaborate and to pull all of their most valuable insights together, thus preparing them to read the subsequent chapters of the book.
Standard 7 - Planning Instruction. The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
Content Knowledge: (see content notes)
Common Core State Standards Content Area: English Grade Level: 11-12, Walden by Henry David Thoreau Domain: Reading Standards for Informational Text 6-12 Cluster: Craft & Structure Standard: 6: Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.
Facet: Perspective
Rationale: Within this lesson, students will gain insight towards Thoreau’s motives for “going to the woods” and for documenting his experience in Walden. This insight will be achieved both through the regular reading and blogging that they complete, but also during their trip to Walden Woods. Students will then analyze what they feel was Thoreau’s purpose in Walden by discussing and exploring these insights in a podcast.
Standard 8 -Instructional Strategies. The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
MI Strategies: Verbal: Students will continue reading Walden, focusing on chapter 2 ("Where I Lived and What I Lived For") for this lesson. Students will also create a podcast that analyzes Thoreau's experience on Walden Pond so far in the text.
Logic: In their podcast, students may include a section about the "logic" behind Thoreau's life in the woods. They may include references to the amount of money he saves during his time there.
Visual: Students will look up pictures of Walden Pond where Thoreau lived to help gain understanding of his experience. They will also use a graphic organizer to help them plan for their podcast.
Musical: Students will be given the option to include a song in their podcast.
Kinesthestic: Students will walk around Walden Woods during their field trip.
Intrapersonal: Students will continue to work on their blogs in which they document their personal reflections on the text.
Interpersonal: Students will work in pairs or small groups to create a podcast that analyzes Thoreau's experience on Walden Pond so far in the text.
Naturalist: Students will be exposed to Thoreau's observations of and discussions about nature within the context of Walden.
SAMR: Students will create a podcast using Garageband or Audacity (Modification).
Rationale: By creating a podcast, students will be able to analyze Thoreau’s purpose by recording their discussions and thoughts as a group. They will be able to add music/sound effects and edit their podcasts using either Garageband or Audacity. They will also be able to upload their podcasts their blogs or class webpage so that they can listen and respond to each others’ final products.
NETS STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS
1. Facilitates and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity. Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. a. Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
c. Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
d. Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments
Rationale: 1d. Creating and sharing podcasts will allow students to collaborate while considering and analyzing Thoreau’s purposes for writing Walden. By listening to and responding to student-created podcasts, I will be engaging in learning with students through a virtual environment.
2. Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments. Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS-S. a. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity
b. Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress
c. Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources
d. Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching
Rationale: 2a. Students will use Garageband or Audacity to create a podcast in which they record a discussion that analyzes Thoreau’s purpose. They will be able to include music and sound effects to enhance their podcast in a creative manner, and they will be able to upload their podcast to the class webpage so that their peers can listen to it and learn from it.
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, HEALTH AND REHABILITATION
LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Teacher’s Name: Miss Pulito Lesson #: 2 Facet: Perspective
Grade Level: 11-12 Numbers of Days: 5-7
Topic: Walden
PART I:
Objectives
Students will understand that Thoreau had distinct purpose(s) for writing Walden.
Students will know the definition of transcendentalism and its main beliefs, a brief biography of Thoreau, what an epigraph is, the significance of experiment/experience, "journaling," Thoreau's lists, "how-to manual" style, voice, persona, and the meaning of self-reliance within the text.
Student will be able to analyze Thoreau's purpose for writing Walden.
Product: Podcast.
Maine Learning Results (MLR) or Common Core State Standards (CCSS) or Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Alignment
Common Core State Standards
Content Area: English
Grade Level: 11-12, Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Domain: Reading Standards for Informational Text 6-12
Cluster: Craft & Structure
Standard: 6: Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.
Rationale: In Lesson 2, students will attempt to understand Thoreau's perspective on life, analyzing how his writing reflects this perspective. In a podcast, they will critique the decisions he makes, discussing how they serve his purpose.
Assessments
Formative (Assessment for Learning)
Section I – checking for understanding strategy during instruction: The teacher will circulate the room, observing and asking questions. The teacher will also set up mini-conferences with each group as they work on creating their podcasts.
Section II – timely feedback for products (self, peer, teacher): The teacher will provide written feedback on each of the podcasts, and the students will provide their group members with feedback on their contribution to the project.
Summative (Assessment of Learning):
Podcast (60pts): In pairs or small groups, students will create a podcast that documents and analyzes Thoreau's experience on Walden Pond. Students may critique Thoreau's ideas and experiences in order to show their understanding of the text and Thoreau's purpose behind his writing of the book. Students are encouraged to being their personal opinions into the podcast as long as they back them up with evidence.
Integration
Technology (SAMR): Students will work in groups of 2-3 to create a podcast using either Garageband or Audacity on their laptops (Modification).
Content Areas: History: Students will get the historical background of Concord, MA and Walden Woods while on their field trip.
Groupings
Section I - Graphic Organizer & Cooperative Learning used during instruction: Students will fill in a sequence chart to help them plan for the topics they will discuss in the podcast. During instruction, student will participate in pair discussions, group discussions, and class discussions on their assigned reading.
Section II – Groups and Roles for Product: Students will use the team project format to create their podcasts, breaking down into groups of 2-3.
Differentiated Instruction
MI Strategies
Verbal: Students will continue reading Walden, focusing on chapter 2 ("Where I Lived and What I Lived For") for this lesson. Students will also create a podcast that analyzes Thoreau's experience on Walden Pond so far in the text.
Logic: In their podcast, students may include a section about the "logic" behind Thoreau's life in the woods. They may include references to the amount of money he saves during his time there.
Visual: Students will look up pictures of Walden Pond where Thoreau lived to help gain understanding of his experience. They will also use a graphic organizer to help them plan for their podcast.
Musical: Students will be given the option to include a song in their podcast.
Kinesthestic: Students will walk around Walden Woods during their field trip.
Intrapersonal: Students will continue to work on their blogs in which they document their personal reflections on the text.
Interpersonal: Students will work in pairs or small groups to create a podcast that analyzes Thoreau's experience on Walden Pond so far in the text.
Naturalist: Students will be exposed to Thoreau's observations of and discussions about nature within the context of Walden.
Modifications/Accommodations
From IEP’s (Individual Education Plan), 504’s, ELLIDEP (English Language Learning Instructional Delivery Education Plan) I will review student’s IEP, 504 or ELLIDEP and make appropriate modifications and accommodations.
Plan for accommodating absent students: It is the student's responsibility to contact the teacher regarding their absence. If the absence is anticipated, the student should plan accordingly and meet with teacher ahead of time to go over what needs to be completed before they return to school. If the absence is unexpected, the student should (1) email the teacher and (2) meet with the teacher in person as soon as he or she is back in school. The teacher is willing to work with students to make sure that they stay up to date with assignments and will provide extensions as deemed fair and necessary. Students are responsible for getting notes from classmates and for checking the class Wiki upon being absent. The teacher understands that absences (preferable excused) are expected from time to time, but if unexcused absences become continuous and habitual the student will be expected to have a one-on-one meeting with the teacher.
Extensions
Technology (SAMR): Students will create a podcast using Garageband or Audacity (Modification).
Gifted Students: Gifted students will be encouraged to add multiple sound effects to their podcasts (including background music).
Materials, Resources and Technology
Source for Lesson Plan and Research
https://hhs-english-iv.wikispaces.com/file/view/Rhetorical%20Devices.pdf
PART II:
Teaching and Learning Sequence (Describe the teaching and learning process using all of the information from part I of the lesson plan)
Describe your classroom arrangement.
The tables will be arranged in a horseshoe formation so that the students can see each other during discussion. Everyone will be able to see the board and projector. There will be designated quiet spaces for students to work individually when they need to or want to. The teacher's desk will be in a private corner, out of the way.
Agenda (include days and times)
*Each class period is 80 minutes long
DAY 1:
- Field trip to Walden Woods
- Assignment: read the first 1/4 of "Where I Lived and What I Lived For" and write a blog response to either the text or about the field trip.
DAY 2:DAY 3:
DAY 4:
DAY 5:
Teaching and Learning Sequence (Include all hyperlinks of the above URL's in this section.)
Students will understand that Thoreau had distinct purposes for writing Walden. Walden is an important and inspiring text because it encourages higher-level, independent thinking through its rich rhetoric. Students will determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.
Students will take a field trip to Walden Woods in which they tour the landscape where Thoreau lived while he wrote Walden. They will also be exposed to a biography of Thoreau’s life and have the opportunity to put themselves in Thoreau’s “place,” gaining perspective. Students will be asked to reflect on their trip to Walden Woods in their nightly blog post.
Where, Why , What, Hook Tailors: Naturalist, Kinesthetic, Verbal/Linguistic, Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Visual
Students will know the definition of transcendentalism and its main beliefs, a brief biography of Thoreau, what an epigraph is, the significance of experiment/experience, "journaling," Thoreau's lists, "how-to manual" style, voice, persona, and the meaning of self-reliance within the text. Every day throughout the lesson, students will have discussions about their assigned reading from the previous night. They will spend a few minutes discussing the reading in pairs, then in groups, and then as a whole class (this could variate from day to day depending on the time available and on the amount of content to be discussed, sometimes only working as pairs or groups before having whole class discussions). This designated discussion time at the beginning of class will ensure that students have the opportunity to explore and collaborate about the things that struck them as interesting and/or significant within the assigned reading and to give the teacher a chance to highlight concepts that they should pay special attention to. During discussions, the teacher will observe the students and use oral questioning to make sure that they are keeping up with and comprehending the reading. On day two of the lesson, students will begin to spend the second portion of their class periods working in their podcasting groups, using the team project format. Each group will fill out a sequence chart to help them plan out the format and major things they want to discuss within their podcast (which should include a discussion of their thoughts on Thoreau’s purpose for writing the book as well as his purpose for his “experiment” on Walden Pond). The teacher will observe the groups as they work and make herself available to answer any questions as well as provide suggestions during the process. Once the podcasts are complete, the teacher will provide each group with written feedback on their final product. Each group will also be required to listen to at least 2 other podcasts and provide written peer feedback.
Equip, Explore, Rethink, Tailors: Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Naturalist, Kinesthetic, Verbal/Linguistic, Naturalist, Musical
Students will be able to analyze Thoreau’s purpose for spending two years on Walden Pond and for documenting his experience in Walden. Students will begin each class period engaging in discussions about the text in which they will be provided with the opportunity to share their interpretations and ideas, analyzing Thoreau’s purpose through exploration and collaboration. The field trip to Walden Woods will also provide them with direct insight and perspective to Thoreau’s life and experience. Once the students have been divided into groups of 2-3, the teacher will show tutorials of both Garageband and Audacity on the projector, then let them chose which program to use. Students who have prior experience with either of these programs will be asked to help students who are new to them. The teacher will also share YouTube tutorials with students for them to access later if they need extra support, and for students who were absent. Students will be allowed to choose their group members in hopes that this freedom with ensure they pair themselves with people that they feel comfortable working with and engaging in discussion. (Discussion groups, however, will be chosen by the teacher so that students are hearing different perspectives on a regular basis.) Students will be given at least 40 minutes of class time each day to meet with their podcast group for planning, organizing, and recording/editing. Once all podcasts have been created and submitted, each group will be responsible for listening to two podcasts from other groups and filling in a response sheet in which they provide feedback. Each group member will also be responsible for filling in a group review sheet in which they evaluate their own contribution to the podcast as well as their group members’ contributions. The teacher will provide each group with written feedback on their podcast. Students will be given the opportunity to revise their podcasts after receiving feedback from their peers and teacher.
Experience, Revise, Refine, Tailors: Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Verbal/Linguistic, Musical, Naturalist
The teacher will email each group written feedback on their podcasts right after listening to them. The teacher will score the podcasts based on the rubric provided at the start of the lesson, paying special attention to insight/thoughtfulness, content (analysis of Thoreau’s purpose), incorporation and citation of textual evidence/support, and effects (e.g. inclusion of music and/or other sound effects). The teacher will also take peer feedback into account before assigning a final grade. This assignment builds off the class discussions that students have been having throughout the unit as well as to their regular blog posts. The podcast will provide students with the opportunity to draw conclusions regarding Thoreau’s purpose for going to Walden Pond and for writing about his experience there. The podcast will highlight the observations that they feel are most important up to this point in the unit, acting as an opportunity for groups to collaborate and to pull all of their most valuable insights together, thus preparing them to read the subsequent chapters of the book.
Evaluate, Tailors: Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Verbal/Linguistic
Teacher Content Notes
Students will know the definition of transcendentalism and its main beliefs, a brief biography of Thoreau, what an epigraph is, the significance of experiment/experience, "journaling," Thoreau's lists, "how-to manual" style, voice, persona, and the meaning of self-reliance within the text. Because this is the second lesson that students have had to explore these topics, they should be competent as well-versed in all of these areas by the conclusion of Lesson 2.
Sub Notes:
In order to teach this lesson, you will need a general understanding of who Thoreau was and what Transcendentalism was. Here is a link that provides a brief biography of Henry David Thoreau:http://www.biography.com/people/henry-david-thoreau-9506784. Here is a link that describes the basics of transcendentalism: http://www.ushistory.org/us/26f.asp.
If you have never read Walden yourself, here is a SparkNotes version of the book that includes chapter summaries, analyses, and common themes/motifs. Reading through the SparkNotes version will help you to guide discussions and to help you understand where the students are headed: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/walden/.
During this lesson, students will be reading the second chapter of Walden, titled“Where I Lived and What I Lived For.” This chapter is important because it contains what many believe to be Thoreau’s thesis of the entire book. This thesis passage is especially important to focus on in class discussions because it will guide students towards a deeper understanding of his purpose for going to the woods and for writing the book:
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of live, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish it to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.
Students may want to dissect this passage in their podcasts to help them analyze Thoreau’s purpose. (In the next lesson, they will break down the rhetoric of the passage but for now they are just focusing on its content.)
Each class will begin with one or more discussions about the assigned reading from the previous night. Before holding a class discussion, students should first meet either in pairs or small groups for 5-10 minutes to “warm up” and share their insights to the text. This way students will have a chance to organize their thoughts before the class-wide discussion in more comfortable setting (thus making the class-wide discussion more effective). Discussions on the text should be mostly student-led with the teacher listening attentively (checking for their understanding) and occasionally guiding/facilitating (when students get off topic or if the discussion is withering) to ensure that all important points are covered. Below is a list of questions to help facilitate discussion in relation to Chapter 2 of Walden.
When creating discussion groups, make sure they are randomized so that students are exposed to different ideas each day. Here is a link that provides ideas for randomizing student groups: http://www.teachhub.com/30-ways-arrange-students-group-work.
For the podcasting assignment, students will be able to choose their partners (no more than 3 students may work together, and if a student prefers to work alone, that is fine). They will need a tutorial on how to use Garageband and Audacity and then can choose one of the programs to create their podcast with. Here are links to tutorials for each program:
- Garageband tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvBhY6aJ7N
- Audacity tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC3VZkfdgV8
To ensure that students know what makes a good podcast, they will need to listen to samples. Here is a link to a website that lists different podcasting sites that they can explore: http://www.howtogeek.com/117297/the-best-websites-for-listening-to-podcasts-and-learning-how-to-create-your-own/Handouts
Maine Common Core Teaching Standards for Initial Teacher Certification and Rationale
Standard 1 – Learner Development. The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.
Learning Styles
Clipboard: Students will be provided with a syllabus that outlines course/unit expectations and assignments. Students will be provided with clear directions and dates regarding assignments. They will also use sequence chart to help them organize and plan for their podcasts.
Microscope: Students will pay close attention to both the content and language of Walden, analyzing how both elements contribute to the overall meaning of the text. They will be asked to do “close readings” in which they examine very small portions of the text, sometimes only focusing on single words or sentences at a time, then discussing how those smaller elements contribute to the “big picture” or major themes of the text.
Puppy: Students will work in pairs or in small groups before being asked to participate in class-wide discussions. This will give them the opportunity to share their thoughts in a “less intimidating” situation before opening up to the entire class. Students will also work in small groups when making their podcasts, and the teacher will circulate the room while students are working to answer questions and provide feedback as well as positive reinforcement. The teacher will “check in” with students regularly throughout the unit, both through email and in person, recognizing that some students may need extra support.
Beach Ball: Students will have opportunities to focus on whichever passages/portions of the text they feel are most interesting and significant. Walden is a complex piece of literature that appeals to many on the individual level, honoring independent thinking and autonomy.
Rationale: Not all students learn in the same way, and that’s part of what makes a classroom such a creative, inspiring place! No student should feel forced to learn in a way that is not conducive to their needs or personality, which is why this unit is designed in a way that leaves room for all learning styles to be practiced.
Standard 6 - Assessment. The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their on growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher's and learner's decision making.
Formative: Daily in-class discussions will act as formative assessments for this lesson, as well as the continuation of the students’ blog posts.
Summative: Students will create a podcast using Garageband or Audacity in which they discuss and analyze Thoreau’s purpose in going to Walden Pond and writing Walden.
Rationale: The podcast assignment builds off the class discussions that students have been having throughout the unit as well as to their blog posts. Creating a podcast will provide students with the opportunity to draw conclusions regarding Thoreau’s purpose for going to Walden Pond and for writing about his experience there. The podcast will highlight the observations that they feel are most important up to this point in the unit, acting as an opportunity for groups to collaborate and to pull all of their most valuable insights together, thus preparing them to read the subsequent chapters of the book.
Standard 7 - Planning Instruction. The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
Content Knowledge: (see content notes)
Common Core State Standards
Content Area: English
Grade Level: 11-12, Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Domain: Reading Standards for Informational Text 6-12
Cluster: Craft & Structure
Standard: 6: Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.
Facet: Perspective
Rationale: Within this lesson, students will gain insight towards Thoreau’s motives for “going to the woods” and for documenting his experience in Walden. This insight will be achieved both through the regular reading and blogging that they complete, but also during their trip to Walden Woods. Students will then analyze what they feel was Thoreau’s purpose in Walden by discussing and exploring these insights in a podcast.
Standard 8 - Instructional Strategies. The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
MI Strategies:
Verbal: Students will continue reading Walden, focusing on chapter 2 ("Where I Lived and What I Lived For") for this lesson. Students will also create a podcast that analyzes Thoreau's experience on Walden Pond so far in the text.
Logic: In their podcast, students may include a section about the "logic" behind Thoreau's life in the woods. They may include references to the amount of money he saves during his time there.
Visual: Students will look up pictures of Walden Pond where Thoreau lived to help gain understanding of his experience. They will also use a graphic organizer to help them plan for their podcast.
Musical: Students will be given the option to include a song in their podcast.
Kinesthestic: Students will walk around Walden Woods during their field trip.
Intrapersonal: Students will continue to work on their blogs in which they document their personal reflections on the text.
Interpersonal: Students will work in pairs or small groups to create a podcast that analyzes Thoreau's experience on Walden Pond so far in the text.
Naturalist: Students will be exposed to Thoreau's observations of and discussions about nature within the context of Walden.
SAMR: Students will create a podcast using Garageband or Audacity (Modification).
Rationale: By creating a podcast, students will be able to analyze Thoreau’s purpose by recording their discussions and thoughts as a group. They will be able to add music/sound effects and edit their podcasts using either Garageband or Audacity. They will also be able to upload their podcasts their blogs or class webpage so that they can listen and respond to each others’ final products.
NETS STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS
1. Facilitates and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity. Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.
a. Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
c. Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
d. Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments
Rationale: 1d. Creating and sharing podcasts will allow students to collaborate while considering and analyzing Thoreau’s purposes for writing Walden. By listening to and responding to student-created podcasts, I will be engaging in learning with students through a virtual environment.
2. Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments. Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS-S.
a. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity
b. Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress
c. Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources
d. Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching
Rationale: 2a. Students will use Garageband or Audacity to create a podcast in which they record a discussion that analyzes Thoreau’s purpose. They will be able to include music and sound effects to enhance their podcast in a creative manner, and they will be able to upload their podcast to the class webpage so that their peers can listen to it and learn from it.